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Effects of body temperature on blood gases

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Abstract

Background

Changes in body temperature have important impact on measurements of blood gases. In blood gas analyzers the samples are always kept constant at a temperature of exactly 37°C during the measurements, and therefore results are not correct if body temperature differs from 37°C.

Objective

Lack of knowledge of the effects of body temperature on results of blood gas monitoring may lead to wrong and potentially harmful interpretations and decisions in the clinical setting. The following article elucidates alterations in monitoring of blood gases and oxyhemoglobin saturation (SO2) that occur during changes in body temperature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and General Intensive Care, Medical University of Vienna, AKH, Währinger Gürtel 18–20, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Andreas Bacher

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  1. Andreas Bacher
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Correspondence to Andreas Bacher.

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Bacher, A. Effects of body temperature on blood gases. Intensive Care Med 31, 24–27 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-004-2369-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-004-2369-3

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